Laid: episode guide

Episode 1.01

What happens when a bad one-night stand from your distant past dies in horrible circumstances on a beach in Fiji? Are you supposed to go to the funeral, even though the sum total of his sexual knowledge was gleaned from Revenge of the Nerds?

Roo McVie is faced with these questions and more when boring Brendan from her Uni days dies tragically on holiday. It's enough to make any single girl re-live some of her murkier sexual moments. Not a pleasant place to visit, to be perfectly honest. But when a second ex leaves this mortal coil, she's forced to dwell a little longer. Add a third on to that, and things just start getting weird.

Roo is caught. Is it just her overactive imagination, or should she face facts — men she has slept with are dying? What does this mean for future relationships? Can she ever go to bed with her thrilling brand-new paramour Charlie? Or will he join the constant-growing list of fatalities if they dare sleep together.

With her best friend EJ's help, Roo works to make sense of and solve what's going on. Together they nut out what seems to be a pattern, but can they work out how to stop all the dying? Will Roo and Charlie ever get the chance to be together without the Grim Reaper as their chaperone.

Laid is a six-part series about sex. Sex and death. Death and valour. Life and love. For Roo, it's hard enough just trying to work out who she is and what it's all about without being dragged back to her chequered bedroom past to protect her exes — and preserve her chance at true love.

Episode 1.02

Roo is preoccupied by the idea she may be causing her exes to die. Try as she might, she finds no comfort from her father, Graham, nor G-bomb, her less-than-traditional gyno. Instead, she finds herself in the crossfire of yet another domestic between EJ and her pain-in-the-butt boyfriend, Zach. Seems this split might actually stick and so Roo takes EJ out to celebrate.

They bump into Charlie at the pub and Roo's initial thrill is soon snuffed when his exceedingly junior girlfriend turns up. Feeling dejected Roo heads for home where a pining Zach has set up a vigil on the front lawn. Roo takes pity on him and listens to his heartbreak. As Zach opens up, so does Roo and a vulnerable moment leads Roo into a compromising situation.

When Roo is invited to catch up with the ex-love of her life, Andrew, she's more than a little over-excited, but is devastated to learn Andrew's made contact to tell her he's dying. Reeling, Roo returns home to find EJ and Zach 'mid reunion'.

News of Andrew's impending death finally convinces EJ something is indeed up with Roo's exes. Ever organised, EJ and Roo make a list of all the guys Roo has ever had sex with and a creepy pattern seems to emerge.

Episode 1.03

Roo is a-flutter when Charlie asks her to fill in on his indoor cricket team — but is it a date or not? The arrival of Telly, a rival team-mate, pulls Roo up short as she remembers a distant drunken night with him… but did they sleep together? It seems liquor has erased all memory.

Roo hounds Telly, and Charlie becomes increasingly unimpressed that she seems to be homing in on another guy. With Roo looking not unlike a bunny boiler, Telly finally tells her of course they didn't have sex. He's a married man, with a family! Relieved, Roo returns to Charlie, who has got the major snots up. As Roo and Charlie bicker, it becomes clear that Telly isn't Mr 'Family Values' after all.

EJ presents Roo with her latest piece of craft — a photoboard of Roo's exes, complete with dates and sexual details designed to help them crack the death code. Propelled to action, Roo goes in search of Russ, the next ex on her list. Roo appoints herself his protector but whilst under her 'protection' Russ has an accident and is rushed to hospital. As Roo paces the waiting room, EJ calls to tell her the guy after Russ on the ex list has died. What does this mean? A confusing confession from Russ provides Roo with another piece to the death puzzle.

In a grand — and slightly misguided — romantic gesture, Charlie invites Roo on a proper, proper date. But how can she possibly inflict her complicated, potentially fatal self on him?

Episode 1.04

Roo's gyno, G-Bomb, needs to see her urgently. Could this be the answer to what the hell's been going on? With EJ in tow, Roo fronts G-Bomb only to be told he wants her to see a shaman specialising in reproductive organ possession. Roo storms out into the waiting room — straight into Charlie — and it's beyond awkward.

EJ and Roo dissect the matter as EJ bundles a reluctant Roo off to see the shaman. Does this mean Charlie has a girlfriend? But an embarrassing moment of defensive motor-mouthing from Roo reveals Charlie's motives were entirely innocent. Roo ponders what new depths she can plumb with the guy she seems to be falling for.

When Zach stumbles across the photoboard of exes, he confronts Roo and she has no choice but to set him straight. Zach is horrified — he's dying? Roo reassures him it'll all be solved before it gets to him. Zach insists Roo has a duty to inform her victims and offers to help. Horrified by the thought of Zach's bumbling 'assistance', Roo states her case in no uncertain terms — Zach is to butt out.

Completely ignoring Roo, Zach attempts to unite Roo's exes, with disastrous results that not only speed up the death order but also lead to EJ discovering about Roo and Zach's 'mistake'.

Cast:
Alison Bell as Roo,
John Batchelor as Boss,
Celia Pacquola as EJ,
Toby Truslove as Zach,
Shaun Micallef as G-Bomb,
Abe Forsythe as Charlie,
Belinda King as Receptionist,
Wendy Playfair as Old Lady,
Steve Le Marquand as Zalan,
Hathan Lovejoy as Watersports Guy,
Jeremy Just as John,
David O'Donnell as Grant,
Leigh Richards as Peter,
Bryan Moses as Dan,
Brendan MacLean as Campbell

Episode 1.05

At odds with EJ, living back home with her parents, Roo is in more than a messed up state when she invites Charlie to her great Nan-Nan's 94th birthday. At the party Charlie charms everyone. When Grandma Pearl drags Roo aside wanting to know what Roo is waiting for, Roo lets slip she can't be with Charlie because every guy she sleeps with dies. Seems Grandma Pearl has the same problem. Could this be a family curse?

Roo abandons Charlie in her quest for answers, driving him further away. Roo's attempt to apologise for deserting Charlie falls short and when Zach later fronts him about Roo's death curse, it looks like things between Roo and Charlie are truly over.

Andrew teeters on the brink of death. In his comatose state, Roo talks openly and intimately as she confides he was the love of her life. Roo can't stand to see Andrew in such pain so decides to use her killer anatomy to take him to a peaceful, pain-free place. But strangely, Andrew makes a miraculous recovery leading Roo to believe re-rooting her exes is the key to saving them. Roo confronts Zach who has his pants down in a flash. But Roo lays down her conditions. She won't do it without EJ's consent.

When her latest theory goes belly up, Roo feels more lost and confused than ever, and finds support where she least expects it.

Episode 1.06

Roo's attempts to reconnect with EJ fail as EJ grapples with Zach's impending death and the fact she seems to be co-pilot on Zach's 'bucket list'. As they work their way through a series of increasingly bizarre scenarios, EJ finds herself sprung at the aquarium about to 'get intimate' with Zach.

Roo meets Charlie's mum, Jan, and is horrified when Charlie begins to tell detailed details of Roo's 'situation'. Roo tries to stop him but Charlie assures her Jan can help using less than conventional means. As Charlie tries to convince Roo of Jan's sanity, Roo explores her options but drops everything when EJ calls. Seems things at the aquarium have taken a dangerous turn. Roo is there in a flash and the best friends are reunited — but shockingly, Zach's risk-taking goes too far.

Roo takes Zach's brush with death as proof Jan's methods are working, and embracing her advice, sets about making peace with her past in the hope of setting them — and herself — free. Jan is impressed by Roo's efforts and gives her the all clear. Roo is hesitant but Charlie is willing to risk all for their love.

Note: guest actors Alan and Galia Hardy, who play Zach's parents in the opening scene (image 1), are the parents of series' creator/producer/writer Marieke Hardy (and are producers/writers in their own right).